A translucent cosmetic emulsion having a refreshing feeling in appearance, and it is suitable to be used in summer.
A known process for the production of such a translucent cosmetic emulsion as described above, comprises, for example, adding an oily matrix to a system consisting of a nonionic surfactant, water and a polyhydric alcohol (JP-A-61-37709) (the term "JP-A" as used herein means "unexamined published Japanese patent application").
Further, a process for the production of a translucent cosmetic emulsion comprising a polyglycerol fatty acid ester and ethanol is described in JP-A-59-33206, JP-A-60-87206, JP-A-61-167609, JP-A-61-12602, JP-A -12603, JP-A-61-12604 and JP-A-61-12605; and a process for production of a translucent cosmetic emulsion comprising an oil, a nonionio surfactant, water and ethanol in a specific ratio is described in JP-A-63-132813.
However, a cosmetic obtained by this process suffers from clouding at high temperatures, the surfactant precipitates at low temperatures. Thus, the development of a translucent cosmetic emulsion which remains stable over a wide temperature range, has been urgently required.
Further, the above known cosmetic irritates a skin when a large amount of ethanol is used, or generates formalin when a large amount of a polyoxyethylene nonionic surfactant is used.